How to Engage with Booming Tech-Savvy Indian Travellers

One of the great side benefits of participating in Australia Business Week in India earlier this month was the chance for some ‘ethnographic’ observation of this exciting source market. One of the most noticeable observations we have made has been around the Indian travellers market’s tech-savviness. A jointly-published report from the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB (Indian Market Research Bureau) International stated that India was expected to surpass the US as the second-largest internet user base globally, behind China, in December 2014. This same report indicated that India had shown year-on-year growth in Internet usage, from 2013 to 2014, of 32%. Much of this increase can be attributed to the decrease in hardware costs and the resulting increase in mobile penetration. A mobile handset that used to cost $200 in 2012 can now be bought for just $50. This is reflected in the penetration of smartphones: according to Nielsen 36% of Indian mobile phone users are using smartphones. As we reported in our initial post about the potential of the Indian Inbound Market, the recommendations of friends and family are of utmost importance to Indian travellers when planning an international trip. However, hot on the heels of personal recommendations as a source of inspiration for Indian outbound travellers is travel-specific information on the Internet. Online information plays a significant role in both the ‘dreaming’ and ‘planning’ stages of the traveller’s path to purchase. Amadeus estimates that 17% of Indian leisure travellers used their smartphones for travel-related arrangements, whilst a whopping 42% of Indian business travellers did so. And this trend is not confined to only the young, but also the young at heart. 7-8% of over 65-year-old Indians use smartphones to make travel bookings, whilst 28% of 18-30-year-olds do the same. Australian smartphone usage for travel planning pales in comparison, with no over 65-year-olds using smartphones for this purpose whatsoever, and only 15% of 18-30-year-olds doing so. Aside from travel planning and research, Amadeus also indicated that Indian travellers love to use social media, during and after their travels. The report stated that approximately 47% of Indians used social media frequently during their travels – a figure that was forecast to increase to almost 60% by 2030. Their assertions have since been backed up by research undertaken by several National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), including the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) and our own Tourism Australia (TA). The CTC, in their Global Tourism Watch study, established that a large percentage of Indian travellers share experiences both during and after their trip, with social media, blogging, and online review sites being among the most popular forums. The CTC study noted that: James Horan; Destination NSW 52% used a computer during their trip to help determine what they wanted to see or do and to share photos or messages to their social networks; 41% used a mobile phone to share on social media; 31% used a mobile app to help decide what activities they wanted to do; and 27% submitted reviews and opinions about specific attractions, restaurants, and hotels to review sites. Furthermore, once safely back on Indian home soil: 70% talked to friends and family about their trip; 63% shared photos with friends and family either in person or via email; 56% shared photos, messages, and information about their trip on their social networks; and 31% submitted reviews about the attractions, hotels, and restaurants they had patronised TA discovered that about 74% of all active internet users in urban India used social media, with its usage ranking only behind email (80%) in terms of online activities. The most accessed social website in India is Facebook, followed by Google + and LinkedIn. My experience on the ground is that WhatsApp and Instagram are also widely used. In 2013, China’s WeChat app was launched in English, and India was one of the markets that took it up fastest – this is an app to watch. TA also found that the use of social media in India for pre-trip research was slightly higher than average, compared to Australia’s other inbound markets. As in the Canadian research, the IVS shows that around half of Indians access the Internet on their visit to Australia. But most do so via a laptop – perhaps reflecting the absence of wifi coverage compared to Canada (something I have experienced for myself). But, before you move your entire marketing spend to online distribution channels to attract the lucrative Indian inbound market, note that travel agents remain extremely influential in India, with 80% of travellers at least consulting with an agent at the planning stage (according to the CTC). So it is vital to make sure that you have both a sound digital strategy and good relationships with the trade. And, whilst approximately 50% of Indian internet traffic for travel-related purposes now goes to online travel agencies, many of these agencies have recently established bricks-and-mortar agencies or call centres, as additional distribution channels. In India more than most markets there is a convergence between the online and offline worlds. So how can the Australian travel trade leverage India’s tech-savviness? As we noted above, make sure you are both digitally ready and well connected to the trade. Get your ducks in a row! Secondly, it is important that your content is mobile-friendly. Indian travellers are comfortable with browsing on the Internet and with receiving and responding to mobile ads. The good news is that there are two strategies – either keep it very simple (a straightforward text) or make it VERY engaging. In each case, around half of Indian smartphone users say they are happy to engage with ads that meet these needs. Commute times in India are often long and many middle-income families enjoy the presence of a driver. So placing ads in front of people at commute times can be a great approach. Like everyone else, Indians judge brands by the speed with which their sites download. So make sure you know that your content can reach them quickly. This is true everywhere, but in a country of 1 billion people where most of your key users are in crowded locations, it becomes even more important. Similarly, make sure your users can find their way back to where they were when they found you. More than half the Indians surveyed in the Nielsen study said that they were less likely to use or be influenced by sites that took them away from their original start point. Finally, once they are in destination (or close to a travel agent in India) use geo-location well. Indian travellers are very open to ads or promotions that are relevant to the location they are in. We’d love to hear about what your plans are to capitalise on the tech-savviness of the growing Indian inbound market. Please comment below and let’s collaborate, as an industry, to bring a larger share of Indian visitors to our shores! Do you want to hear more from us? Want to be kept up to date with the latest travel and tourism insights? Join Our Mailing List. Every 2 weeks, we send the latest practical insight for you to apply to your business and destination marketing.

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